BALTIMORE -- For all of their faults and shortcomings in this opening portion of the season, the Yankees have been able to lean on a dependable old friend. On Sunday, the Yankees walked out of Camden Yards with a 5-3 win and a victory in the three-game series, all thanks to the home run.

All of the Yankees' five runs came via the long ball.

Mark Teixeira and Robinson Cano chipped in with solo homers. The knockout blow came from Damon, whose three-run homer capped a four-run seventh inning, which the Yankees took the lead and came to life. With the blast, Damon has six homers in his last 10 games.

"It seemed like we didn't have much life after that first inning," Damon said. "They scored the quick three runs and it just seemed like we couldn't get anything going. It seemed like nothing was going for us and then, bam."

The Yankees' 48 homers ranks second in the American League behind only Texas, which started the day with 50.

Joba Chamberlain (2-1) allowed Aubrey Huff's three-run homer in the first inning -- and watched as the Orioles first baseman taunted him around the bases -- before settling down to keep the Orioles off the board. The Yankees offense then came alive, starting with Cano's homer. Infield hits by catcher Francisco Cervelli and Derek Jeter set up Damon's decisive homer.

"You got to tip your hat to our offense and how they responded late in the game," Chamberlain said.

Phil Coke and Mariano Rivera combined to pitch three shutout innings in relief, a victory for the Yankees' maligned bullpen. Coke handled the seventh and eighth before Rivera -- who has struggled of late -- nailed down his sixth save.

"I looked at this stuff today and it seemed much better than what he saw before," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "His ball was lively. It was running a lot. The cutter was good, the velocity was better."